Tuesday Lineup Card: Alvarez is Back

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Injuries  A brief look at players who have been missing time with minor ailments and their expected returns

Day-to-Day (includes players expected to make their return from the DL)Laynce Nix, OF, WAS  (Achilles) Out of the starting lineup for a second straight day Sunday but was available to pinch-hit.Kerry Wood, RP, CHC  (General Soreness) Old-man-itis made him unavailable Sunday.Cameron Maybin, OF, SD  (Hip) Strained his hip flexor but isnt expected to hit the DL.Angel Pagan, OF, NYM  (Illness) Getting blood test to determine the cause of his fatigue. Ryan Ludwick, OF, SD  (Undisclosed) Expects to return to the lineup Tuesday.Jordan Schafer, OF, ATL  (Finger) Has a chip fracture but will avoid the DL.Chris Heisey, OF, CIN  (Shoulder) MRI came back negative. Should return to the lineup in a day or two.Alexander Cobb, SP, TB  (Finger) Suffered a blister on a finger after throwing seven innings Sunday. Status for Saturday is up in the air. Chone Figgins, 3B, SEA  (Personal) Questionable going into Mondays game.Josh Willingham, OF, OAK  (Neck) Playing through a minor neck injury.

Players on the DLChien-Ming Wang, SP, WAS  (Shoulder) Will return from the DL and start against the Mets on Friday.Roy Oswalt, SP, PHI  (Back) Will make a rehab start Wednesday and it may be the only one he needs.Ross Ohlendorf, SP, PIT  (Shoulder) May be used out of the bullpen when he returns. Alex Presley, OF, PIT  (Hand) Placed on the 15-day DL.Geoff Blum, SS, AZ  (Finger) Will miss 2-3 weeks with a fractured pinky finger. Placido Polanco, 3B, PHI  (Back) Plans to return to the lineup Saturday.John Jaso, C, TB  (Oblique) Could join the team Friday.Rafael Soriano, RP, NYY  (Elbow) Could return to the Yankees soon.Alex Rodriguez, 3B, NYY  (Knee) Could return in the second week of August.Eric Chavez, 3B, NYY  (Foot) Expected to be activated from the DL Tuesday.Clay Buchholz, SP, BOS  (Back) Expected to be back before mid-August.J.D. Drew, OF, BOS  (Shoulder) Placed on the 15-day DL.Alex White, SP, CLE  (Finger) Will pitch out of the bullpen when he returns.Tony Pena, RP, CHI  (Elbow) Will not play again this season. Brad Thomas, RP, DET  (Elbow) Placed on the 60-day DL.Luke Scott, DH, BAL  (Shoulder) Will undergo surgery Tuesday. Erik Bedard, SP, SEA  (Knee) Will be activated from the DL to Start Friday.
Vladimir Guerreo, DH, BAL  (Hand) Expected to be activated from the DL Tuesday.

Transactions  Players who have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.

Arizona  Zach Duke picked up an unconventional four-inning save after holding the Rockies scoreless in relief for 12 outs. J.J Putz is coming off the DL Tuesday and is expected to reclaim the closer role from David Hernandez.

Los Angeles Dodgers  Javy Guerra has accumulated five saves and a win in July. Hes the Dodgers unquestioned closer right now. Dont let him sit on your waiver wires.

Philadelphia  Ryan Madson was used as the closer to the save Friday and Saturday, so the Phillies went with Antonio Bastardo in the save opportunity Sunday. Bastardo converted the save. Madson remains the primary closer, but Bastardo will get spot work whenever Madson pitches too much.

Pedro Alvarez, 3B, PIT  Alvarez was recalled to the majors Monday. Hes being given the everyday job at third base again, and based on the production the Pirates were getting from their other plug-ins at third, Id bank on Alvarez sticking at third the rest of the season. While demoted to Triple-A, Alvarez hit .365 with three home runs, 13 RBI, and 11 runs scored in 63 at-bats. He batted fifth on Monday, and hitting in a prime spot for RBI will be perfect for a cleanup-type hitter like Alvarez. Take a flier on him for the next week or two to see if hes fixed whatever was making his bat miss the ball so much earlier this season.

As a reminder, the competition will be an MLB Salary Cap league where values for each player are set based on projected fantasy value each day and your mission is to find the bargains and make the best 14 player team possible within the $100,000 budget.

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